Alexander Wilson
The NY Knicks are still living in parade week, and nobody should blame them for stretching that feeling out. The front office does not get the same luxury with Mitchell Robinson headed toward free agency.
Robinson is the longest-tenured Knick, a title-clinching role player, and still one of the league’s most annoying offensive rebounders to deal with. He averaged 5.7 points and 8.8 rebounds this season, but the value has never been about pretty box-score totals with him.
The trouble is price. James Dolan has already made it clear publicly that he does not want the Knicks crossing the second apron, and that turns every sentimental decision into a roster-building test.
The Knicks loyalty part gets expensive
Robinson earned a real offer. He played through the hand issue late in the playoffs, gave New York physical minutes against Victor Wembanyama, and still changes possessions in a way most backup centers do not. If the Knicks let him walk, they would be losing a very specific kind of weapon.
They also cannot pay everyone as if a championship erased the cap sheet. Jose Alvarado has a player-option decision, Landry Shamet played himself into a raise, and New York still has draft picks to fold into a roster already carrying expensive starters.
The clean answer may not exist
I would try to keep Robinson, but only with the right structure. The Knicks should not pretend he is a 30-minute nightly anchor when his durability has always been part of the calculation.
The best version is probably a deal that rewards what he does without blocking the next two seasons of roster flexibility. Robinson helped make the title real. Now the Knicks have to make sure the thank-you bill does not become the first mistake of the repeat chase.
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